Clay sharpening implement



(No Model.)

G. E. TREADWELL.

CLAY SHARP-ENING IMPLEMENT.

No. 361,559. Patented Apr. 19,1887.

i I J wvm w 1 mww mwhoz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. TREADVELL, OF NE\V CASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLAY SHARPENING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,559, dated April19, 1887.

Application filed December 30, 1886. Serial No. 223,022. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. TEEADWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at New Castle, in the county of Lawrence and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ClaySharpening Implements; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

Myinvention relatesto steels for sharpening table-knives,carving-knives, and other cutting implements; and the object of myinvention is to dispense with theuse of iron, steel, or other materialsheretofore employed in the manufacture of this class of implements, andto substitute therefor a material which will produce alighter, cheaper,and more efficient sharpener than any heretofore devised.

To the above purpose my invention consists in a steel which is madewholly of clay suitably prepared for effecting the required abrad ingaction when operating upon the cuttingknife, and wrought into the properform for this class of implements, as hereinafter described and claimed.

My invention further consists in the precise novelty of construction ofthe steel, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure1 is a side elevation of my improved steel. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section of the same, showing the glazed handle portionthereof.

In the said drawings, Fig. l, A designates the barrel of the steel,which is of tapering eyo lindrical shape, terminating at one end in apoint, a, and at the opposite end joined integrally with the handleportion B. The barrel A and handle B are formed of any clay whichcontains sufficient gritty matter to produce an abrading-surface. Forthis purpose fire-clay, (silicate of alumina-,) which is prepared in theordinary manner and molded into the form shown, is preferred. Afterhaving been thus molded the clay is placed in a kiln and properly firedor burned.

The handle portion 13 is preferably treated with a coating, 1), (seeFig. 2,) of potters glaze previous to the burning, so that a cleansmooth handle is produced in the finished article.

A steel produced as above described is lighter and cheaper than metalsteels, and possesses the additional important advantage of preservingan effective abrading-surface in the barrel A as long as any of thelatter remains.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An improved steel having its abrading portion composed wholly offire-clay, substantially as specified.

2. An improved steel formed wholly of abrasive clay and having itsrubbing-surfaces and handle formed integrally with each other,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. TREADW'ELL. \Vitnesses:

HIRAM G. MILLER, D. J AMESON.

